Condenser for automobile radiators



F. J. GUSTINE. SER FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS.

CONDEN APPLICATION FiLED JAN. a1, 1921.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

v ll II II Patented ept. 5, 1922.

' FRANKLIN J. GUSTINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONDENSER EQR AU'IO1VOBILE RADIATORS.

Application filed January 31, 1921. Serial I 10. 441,316.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN J. GUs'rINn,

clare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the-art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in condensers forautomobile radiators and has for an object to provide a condenser soassociated with the radiator of'an automobile as to receive the steamand gaseous vapors ascending from the Water and antifreezing compound oralcohol used to pre vent congealing of the water in cold weather.Overheating of the engine or even the natural evaporation of the alcoholor like" fluid entails considerable loss and is a source of nuisance inseeing to it that the radiator is kept with its proper proportion ofsuch fluid. i 1 I It is another object of the invention to providea-simple and inexpensive condenser that may be mounted in conjunctionwith the radiator cap and which forms an ornamental device, and onewhich may be attached to standard forms of radiator caps without anyalteration in the construction thereof. With the foregoing and otherobjects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter,and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appendec hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a radiator showingthe improved condenser applied thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through thecondenser and through the filling neck of the radiator;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 in'Fig. 2; and

radiator and 2 the filling neck of the same Fig. 4- is a sideelevational. view of the which is, according to the custom, providedwith ascrew-threaded cap 3 which may be removed when filling theradiator with water and anti-freezing compound, such for instance, asalcohol, which isused to a great extent to prevent the freezing of thewater in winter and cold weather and the consequent destruction of theparts. i I

in accordance with the present invention, i a condenser is mounted inconjunction with the radiator and is preferably associated with the cap3. This condenser preferably takes the form shown in the drawings,

wherein 4 designates a cylinder having a frusto-conical bottom 5provided with a cen- 7O tral threaded openingGto receive'thej'upperthreaded end of a section of pipe? which passes. at its lower endthrough the radiator cap 3 and is secured fixedly by "loclonuts 8and9.

An additional lock-nut may, if desired, be secured tothe upper threadedportion of. the pipe-section in order to avoid turning of the cylinder 4upon such'pipe section, but this is not necessary as rotation g0 ofthecylinder'casing or shell 4: is not ma. terial so long as' it does nottake place to such an extent as to disengage the cylinder from thepipesecti0n. I

At its "upper endth'e cylinder 4;is formed 5 with a marginal out-turnedflange ll'form' ing'a seat upon which the flange 12 of'a frusto-c onicalcover 13 rests, screws, bolts or other fastenings 141 being employed togo through the flanges in order to hold the cover removably in place. Atits central upper portion the cover 13 is, in like manner, provided witha screw-threaded opening 15. i I

Within the cylinder or shell 1 is a core 16 made hollow and providedwith a spiral groove 17 traversing its outer surface. The core 16 isclosed by an imperforate bottom 18 but is left open at its top. Byreason of the frusto-conical bottom 5, and top 13, the spiral groove 17,which opens at its ends freely to the ends of the core 16, is placedclireotly in connection at its base with the interior of the radiatorneck 2 and at its upper end with the atmosphere.

In use, the steam and vapors rising from the water and other substancesin the radiator will ascend through the neck 2 and pipe 7 into thebottom 5 of the cylinder where it will be let into the spiral groove 17110 of the core 16. This groove, as will be noted, is formed next to theouter wall of the cylinder which is kept cool by the surroundingatmosphere and consequently this steam and vapor will be condensed inthe spiral groove and will flow back through the groove and conicalbottom 5 into the radiator.

Of course, if desired, the cylinder 4; may be provided with cooling:[ins on its exterior, but this is not necessary. The spiral groove ailords an extensive path for the gases and steam and circulates the samein contact with the outer cool wall 4: of the cylinder so that ampleopportunity is given the steam and gases to condense in the spiralgroove before they reach'the top 13.

Inthis way there will be no loss of the comparatively expensive alcoholand the radiator will require less fillings of both alcohol and water,and in general, will require much less attention than at present. Byremoving the fastenings 14-, the top 13 may be withdrawn and the core 16elevated through the top of the cylinder l for purposes of cleaning orthe renewal of parts.

In this way easy access is given to all parts of the device.Thecondenser is such that it may be sold as an accessory and may beattachedto the usual radiator cap in a very small space of time so thatit forms an attractive article of manufacture.

Air may also enter through the opening 15 which is in communication withthe atmosphere and may circulatethrough the hollow interior of the core16 so as to further act in cooling thesame and keeping all parts of thecondenser at the requisite low temperature.

I do not wish to'be restricted to the size, form, and proportions of thevarious parts, and obviously changes could be made in the constructionherein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it

, dished bottom in communication with the radiator, a hollow core closedat its bottom and open at its top and provided with a spiral grooverunning around its outside surface and being in connection with thedished bottom, substantially as described.

3. A condenser composed of a cylinder having a dished bottom and aremovable dished top, and a hollow core fitted in the cylinder, saidcore being open at its top and closed at its bottom and provided with aspiral groove traversing its outer surface, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a vehicle radiator, a cap for the radiator, apipe section, extending through the cap and being fixed therein, acylinder having a trustee-conical bottom supported on said pipe section,a removable dished top for the cylinder, and a hollow core open at itsupper end and having an imperforate bottom removably fitted within thecylinder, said core provided with a spiral groove extending around itscylindrical surface and closed on its exterior by the cylinder wall, andan opening in the removable cap whereby air may enter the hollowinterior of the core, substantially as described.

FRANKLIN J. GUSTINE].

